A New Medal Honors Drone Pilots and Computer Experts

WASHINGTON — If drone pilots and computer experts had any doubts that they truly are central to the new way of combat, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta used his valedictory Pentagon news conference on Wednesday to make it clear: he established a new medal just for them.

The Distinguished Warfare Medal will provide “recognition for the extraordinary achievements that directly impact on combat operations, but that do not involve acts of valor or physical risk that combat entails,” Mr. Panetta said.

“I’ve seen firsthand how modern tools like remotely piloted platforms and cybersystems have changed the way wars are fought,” Mr. Panetta said, citing his tenure as director of the C.I.A. and his tour at the Pentagon. “And they’ve given our men and women the ability to engage the enemy and change the course of battle even from afar.”

Mr. Panetta said the new medal would be reserved for those who greatly assisted the war effort by piloting Predator or Reaper drones from a remote trailer, often back in the United States, or by an assignment to devise computer defenses or create poisonous digital code to attack an adversary’s network.

In the past, those tasks have been viewed as technological achievements, and not combat, and have not been recognized with a medal. It is certain that some will object to a prestigious warfare medal being awarded to those who did not place themselves at risk.

“Our military reserves its highest decorations, obviously, for those who display gallantry and valor in actions where their lives are on the line, and we will continue to do so,” Mr. Panetta said.

“But we should also have the ability to honor the extraordinary actions that make a true difference in combat operations,” he added. “They remove the enemy from the field of battle even if those actions are physically removed from the fight.”

Pentagon officials said the medal would rank higher than the Bronze Star but below the Silver Star.

A version of this article appears in print on , on Page A16 of the New York edition with the headline: A New Medal Honors Drone Pilots and Computer Experts. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe